Water-still.



No. 678,230. Patented July 9, |901.

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wATE STILL. (Application led Dac. 19, 1900.)

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GUY W; DAVIS, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

WATER-STILL.

srncrrrcnrrorr forming part of Letters :Patent No. 678,230, ated .my e, 190i. Application filed December 19, 190()y Serial No. 4,380; (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GUY W. DAVIS, a citi.- zen ofthe United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVater-Stills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in water-stills, and has for its object to provide a simple and effective apparatus for distillin g water and at the same time aerating it with sterilized air, automatic in its action, and having all interior parts readily accessible, the main parts being separable each from the other.

In the drawings herewith accompanying and making a part of this application, Figure l is a vertical central sectional view of my improved still, taken on a line passing through H H of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the still, the Water-tank being removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cover between the watertank and collecting-tank, and Fig. 4t is a plan view of the Water-shed secured to the bottom of the water-tank.

Same letters of reference refer to like parts.

In said drawings, A is a generator, whichV is adapted to be set upon a stove, furnace, or other heater. The generator has on the inside thereof air-chambers B, extending below the normal height of the water in the generator and provided with air-inlet ports C, leading thereinto from the outside, and ports D, opening into the top of the generator, above the normal level. Restingupon the top of the generator is the collecting-tank E, a portion E' of the bottom extending beyond the vertical walls of the generator to permit the air to circulate under a portion of the collectin g-chamber, as well as around the sides thereof. The collecting-tank has la central opening F in the bottom, surrounded by an upwardly-extending partition G, between which and the walls of the collecting-tank is the receptacle for the water of distillation. The collecting-tank is removably supported upon the generator in any convenient manner. It

may rest directly upon the upper edge of the generator and be provided with a rim or 'Han ge tank has an inverted-cone-shaped guideway J at one side of the central opening, for the purpose hereinafter described, the guideway being supported by brackets J Within' the collecting-tank is a water-reserlvoir K, which serves the double purpose of a cooling-chamber and water-feed. It is supported in any convenient manner, as by a series of columns H and L, the colu mns H being secured to the bottom of the collecting-tank by brazing, as seen at Z, or in any other convenient manner, and the columns L secured to the bottom of the water-reservoir in the same or similar manner, the upper ends of the columns H adapted to rest against the bottom of the water-reservoir and the lower ends of the columns L adapted to rest loosely upon the bottom of the collecting-tank. The columns H may be hollow and extend down through the bottom of the collecting-tank 'and terminate just Within the open ports B in the air-chambers in the generator and may have air-escape openings H within the collectingtank and near the top of the column.

The water-reservoir has secured to the bottom thereof a pipe M, positioned, so as when the water-reservoir is placed in the collectin gtank,to extend down through the conical guide and into the generator. The upwardly-tiaring cone-shaped guide gives ready access to the end of the pipe and then guides it into proper position. The pipe has a valve-seat N in the top thereof opening upwardly into the reservoir.

Attached to the bottom of the water-reservoir is a centrally-positioned conical-shaped water-shed O, which extends beyond the wall or partition of the opening F in the bottom of the collecting-tank, so that the Water of condensation which may collect on the bottom of the reservoir drops onto this shed and is directed beyond the opening leading from the collecting-tank into the generator, thus preventing any loss of the distilled water. The pipe M may extend down through a hole M in the water-shed.

When thewaterreservoir is in position in the collecting-tank, the tops of the collecting- IOC tank and of the water-reservoir are at the same level and the space between them may be closed with an annular cover P, having flanges Q extending down between the sides of the water-reservoir and the collecting-tank. This cover may be provided with little ports Q', through which air can pass into the eollecting-chamber whenever the condensation of steam tends to create a vacuum therein and through which volatile and impure gases may escape.

Adapted to float in the water of the generator is a valve consisting of a buoy R, a spindle S, and a valve-head T, the spindle and' valve-head extending upwardly through pipe M into the collecting-chamber and the valvehead adapted to open and close the valveseat in the bottom of the reservoir. The valvehead has openings U in the sides thereof and the spindle has a guide-disk V fitting closely the interior walls ofthe pipe and having openings XV therein, the openings U and W serving to allow the water entering the pipe from the reservoir to pass down through the pipe and into the generator.

The operation of my improved still is as follows: The reservoir is filled with water. Suii'ieient water isintroduced into the generator to raise the buoy sufficiently to close the valve-opening in the bottom of the water-reservoir. This should be accomplished with as little water in the reservoir as possible in order to facilitate the generation of steam, and to this end the bottom of the buoy may be flat, so as to float in the smallest quantity of water possible. generator becomes sufficiently heated steam is generated and passes up through the opening F and circulates in all of the spaces between-the collecting-tank and reservoir and is condensed by contact with the colder surfaces of said collecting tank and reservoir and is collected in the bottom of the collecting-tank. At the same time air is drawn in from the ports inthe side of the generator into the air-chambers and thence passes out in to the generator, is mingled with the steam, and thence passes with the steam through the opening into the collectingtank, thus aerating the water. lVhen the ends of the columnsH terminate in the upper ends ofthe airchambers,a considerable portion of the air passes directly through said column into the collecting-chamber, escaping through the ports in the upper ends of the column. The air is introduced near the bottom of the generator into a chamber heated As soon as the water in thev to a temperature raised to the boiling-point and becomes heated therein and thoroughly sterilized before as well as during the time it is mixed with the steam.4 The air is heated in the chamber, and therefore more readily rises and mingles with the steam, thus increasing its aerating capacity as well as thoroughly sterilizing it.

Vhenever by generation of steam the water in the generator falls below a certain level, the buoy, falling with it, opens the valve-port in the bottom of the reservoir and allows water to flow from the reservoir through the pipe into the generating-chamber, thus keeping it replenished and rendering the operation of the machine automatic so long as there is any water in the reservoir.

If at any time more water is distilled than the collecting-tank will hold, it will simply overflow and return tothe generator.

Having thus described my invention and its use, I claiml. In a combined Water-still and aerating device, a generator, a collecting-tank having a central opening therein surrounded by a vertical partition, a water-reservoir, and a series of supporting-postsinterposed between the collecting-tank and water-reservoir, the ends of some of said posts being secured to the under side of the water-reservoir and resting loosely on the bottom of the collectingtank and the others being hollow and secu red to the bottom of the collecting-tank, the upper ends loosely supporting the reservoir and the lower ends terminating in the hotair chamber.

2. In a combined water-still and aerating device, a generator, a collecting-tank and water-reservoir superimposed, said collectingtank having a central opening into the generator, said opening being surrounded by avertical partition and provided with a coneshaped guideway secu red to the inside of said partition, a pipe secured to the bottom of said reservoir and having a valve-seat with a valve opening into said reservoir and adapted to extend downwardly through said cone-shaped guideway into the generator and a float-valve adapted to open and close said valve-opening.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses this 17th day of December, A, D. 1900.

GUY W. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

ELGIN O. VERRILL, NATHAN CLIFFORD.

IOO 

